ONCE it was the prerogative of the wealthy but in 2007 anyone can use the services of a personal shopper and many of Manchester's stores have one.

ONCE it was the prerogative of the wealthy but in 2007 anyone can use the services of a personal shopper and many of Manchester's stores have one.

And far from the idea of a knowledgeable fashion expert guiding customers to spend thousands of pounds, there is seldom a minimum spend and no charge for having your own style guru guide you through the retail minefield.

Unsurprisingly, this extra-special customer service is now so popular that many personal shoppers are busy for weeks ahead.

At the House of Fraser store, in Deansgate, personal shopper Diane Swan is booked up until March and has many repeat customers, both women and men.

The free service there involves an initial telephone conversation with Diane, who has been at the store for five years and had her own design and manufacturing business for 16 years before that.

During this call, Diane will want to know basic information - like size, colour and style preferences - and also lifestyle details to give her an idea of what to search out from the store's three floors and hundreds of makes.

"People want to use a personal shopper for various reasons, including for funding something specific like a wedding outfit, just needing an outside opinion on buying clothes, or because they are bored with their style and just want a revamp," she explained.

An appointment will lead to two to two-and-a-half hours in the store's shopping suite, which offers "refreshments, good mirrors, privacy and honest opinion," as Diane puts it. She pre-selects items she considers may fit the bill, using information already given and then chooses more clothes during the appointment.

"People often say that they never, for example, choose wide trousers or that they don't wear a particular colour," she says. "But I get them to try something different and they are usually surprised. It's lovely to see them looking good. In fact, people often go out of the store wearing the items they've chosen."

The whole business of having the lengthy undivided attention of a senior member of store staff, a quick route to suitable clothes and accessories from the store and the advice of a retail expert is a heady mixture.

Diane's services are much in demand. And, interestingly, she finds that men will often book appointments after their wives have been for a personal shopping session.

"I think they realise that it's not quite the daunting prospect they thought," adds Diane. "It's all just a matter of being open to new ideas and trying something different."

The John Lewis store in Cheadle has two experienced personal shoppers, Catherine Murphy and Gail Clarke, both based in the womenswear department. This is a free, women-only service, although male staff are on hand to offer advice to male customers about their buys.

Again, an initial conversation is followed by an appointment, usually of a couple of hours. The wait is around two weeks here. On the day, there is a dedicated personal shopping area with refreshments and staff say you don't even have to leave this if you prefer.

There is no minimum spend and a spokeswoman described it as "just time spent one-to-one on individual clothes needs".

Special occasion buying and changes of wardrobe for reasons like weight-change, or just as a treat, are the main reasons for using the store's personal shopping service.

At the Harvey Nichols store in Manchester city centre, their five-strong personal shopping team can even help create a `Day Of Indulgence' which helps customers make the most of the store.

This is a bespoke package, usually bought as a gift, when the store arranges for a customer to come in, experience personal shopping with vouchers to spend, have a facial, hairdressing appointment and makeover before eating in the restaurant.

Prices range from £50 to more than £1,000 for this spot of essential retail pampering, which in 2007 is set to take "personal shopping" to the max.

Stores which have a personal shopping service include:

Manchester city centre: Harvey Nichols, House Of Fraser, Debenhams, Selfridges, Top Shop.

Outside the city centre: Trafford Centre (Debenhams, John Lewis, Selfridges), Cheadle's John Lewis.